Category: OSI Industries

OSI Industries is a privately owned multinational company that supplies meat products to both retail and food service industries in the United States and the world as a whole. The company has its headquarters in Aurora, Illinois. Moreover, the foodservice company has also partnered with leading food brands to serve their customers all over the world. OSI industries operate in 17 countries and it has 65 facilities globally. It has more than 20,000 employees and its establishment is entrenched in the American immigrant experience in the 20th century.

Immigration into the Unites States of America was common in the 20th century. Otto Kolschwsky was one of the immigrants belonging to the German-immigrant community that settled in the city of Chicago. During that time, German immigrants made up a quarter of the population of Chicago, Illinois. Otto Kolschwsy opened a retail meat and a butcher shop in Oak Park to serve his community. He was a good businessman and within ten years, he expanded his retail mea shop into a wholesale business. Additionally, he expanded his operations by opening another meat retail shop in Maywood in the Chicago suburb. The business expanded in the next decade and in 1928 it was rebranded as Otto & Sons. Otto & Sons remained stable and successful even after the Second World War and to know more

With the economic revolution and advancement during the postwar economic period, two small families entered in a business alliance. In 1955, Ray Kroc founded the McDonald restaurant in Des Plaines. Kroc was still a franchise agent for a couple who owned a restaurant in Illinois. Prior to establishing his McDonald restaurant, Ray Kroc entered a handshake agreement with Arthur and Harry, the sons of Otto Kolshowsky. The agreement made Otto & Sons the franchise supplier of McDonald. Kray later on became the CEO of McDonald and within a short period of time, Otto & Sons started supplying foodstuff to all the McDonald restaurants that were sprouting in the region.

Otto & Sons were charged with the task of supplying the McDonald’s restaurants with food products on a regular basis. The flash freezing process that is cost effective in freezing food products came to the aid of Otto & Sons. The technological advancement allowed the company to consistently supply products to its customers. The company was able to make more profits and in 1975 it changed its name from Otto & Sons to OSI Industries. OSI Industries has grown since then into the leading food retailer in the planet.